This invention pertains to a broadcasting cable system, and more particularly to a programming-on-demand cable system wherein any one of a plurality of stored video programs can be broadcast in a non-real-time basis to a user.
Generally and to the best of applicant's knowledge, existing video broadcast services provide a user any one of a plurality of programs to be viewed on a real-time basis. The user may select any one of the video programs, however, he is restricted in his enjoyment of the program in that the user has no control over when in time the program is broadcast to his video or television set. For example, video programs are routinely announced in video or television guides listing the programs available to the user for his choice in viewing at a specific time of day. Consequently, the user does not have the choice of viewing the program when he so desires, but rather is restricted to that particular time listed in the video or television guide.
Moreover, it would be much too impractical and costly to provide the necessary equipment to process numerous concurrent requests for real-time transmission of video programs at any time desired by the users.
Present broadcasting systems transmit the data by one of many methods, for example, "over-the-air", electrical lines or cables, fiber optic lines or cables, and the like. Presently, transmission by means of fiber optics is becoming more practical, however, the user is still restricted to viewing his program at a broadcasting time not of his choosing.